Air Traffic Management Center Services At Work
Airspace Analysis and Design
The CNAC ATM Team conducts analyses of air traffic flow in terminal and en route airspace to determine the impact of airport and airspace capacity on delays, safety, and efficiency.
We develop, maintain, and operate a comprehensive set of geographical analysis and modeling tools to help the FAA assess the complexity and capacity of both high altitude and terminal airspace.
Operations Analysis and Performance Assessment
CNAC's ATM Team is a vital part of the FAA's Performance Analysis Team on a National Airspace System (NAS)-wide level, and is involved in performance analyses of FAA programs and initiatives on the local, regional, and national levels. Team members developed a comprehensive set of metrics to measure performance of the overall NAS, sectors, terminal areas, and airports. We also developed a web application to allow online user access to those metrics.
The ATM Team supported the FAA Free Flight Program Office with the evaluation of the operational impact of decision support tools. Metrics include flight efficiency, airport acceptance and arrival rates, delay, flight predictability, and airspace throughput.
Our experts evaluate the operational performance of the FAA's Safe Flight 21 initiatives. CNAC analysts are currently collecting and analyzing data at several sites around the country.
Another area of ATM Team study is the relationship between traffic management decisions and convective weather forecasts. Our analyses are helping the FAA Command Center make informed decisions during severe weather events.
Systems Analysis and Development
The ATM Team includes programmers devoted to the development of software tools for the FAA. One of these efforts is the development of the Sector Design and Analysis Tool (SDAT). The team is developing SDAT under the sponsorship of the FAA and is responsible for the overall program management of SDAT, including requirements development, architecture development, deployment, user training, and maintenance.
We also provide systems engineering support to major FAA systems development projects such as the Traffic Flow Management Modernization program.
Modeling, Simulation, and Optimization
The CNAC ATM Team applies a variety of industry-accepted Air Traffic Control models to solve clients' problems, and has developed custom simulation and optimization applications.
Investment and Cost-Benefit Analyses
We conduct cost-benefit analyses for the FAA on ATC systems, procedures, and regulations. Team members include experienced cost estimators, economists, and operations research analysts.
The team led the Controller Pilot Data Link Communications cost-benefit analysis. We developed the analytical approach, helped estimate the impact of the technology at the sector and national levels, and performed the economic analyses.
We currently support the FAA's Business Planning and Development Team with economic analysis, and provide input and assessment for the Joint Planning and Development Office, an inter-agency group created to plan the next-generation air transport system.
Database Design, Operation, and Maintenance
The CNAC ATM Team has been collecting and archiving data for the FAA since 1994. This experience has allowed our analysts to gain a thorough understanding of the quality of the FAA's various data sources. We use that knowledge to establish requirements for database designs, to improve data quality, and to build databases that address the needs of the analytical community.
Aviation Safety Analyses
Our ATM Team has a broad range of experience performing aviation safety analyses, including problems that relate directly to FAA air traffic management concerns.
Specifically, CNAC has conducted safety and risk analyses on commercial aircraft separation procedures and operational errors.
Civil Aviation Security Analyses
CNAC supports the Science & Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security by conducting operations analyses of the Civil Aviation Security system. These activities include data collection, data analysis, system modeling, gap analyses, and Concepts of Operations. The effort will produce a Research, Development, Test & Engineering plan, support a pilot effort to model security architectures in a laboratory and airport environment, and develop a general deployment plan.
